Electric switch



March 9 1926.

C. F. SCHWENNKER ELECTRIC SWITCH 'Filed June 17 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I7Inventor; Ch arLe$F SchwennKer; bid

March 9 1926.

C. F. SCHWENNKER ELECTRIC SWITCH Flled June 1 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventow C'harlesF'fichwennKerg Hi Attohneg Patented -Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' CHARLES 1. SCHWENNKER, OI SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.ELECTBIC SWITCH.

Application filed June 17, 1924. Serial m1. 720,686.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. SCHWENNKER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county ofSchenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to circuit controlling means and particularly tomeans for the control of high potential circuits comprising a mainswitch which for example may be of the fluid break type, and anisolating or disconnectin switch.

One object o my invention is to provide an improved actuating mechanismfor said switches whereby they may be caused to close and open in adefinite manner relative to each other.

' Another object is to provide an improved construction of isolatin ordisconnecting switch inwhich no flexi le connections are required forconnecting it with the main switch. 7

A'further object is the provision of improved means whereby thedisconnecting switch may be locked either in closed position or in openposition without affecting the normal operation of the main switch.

' My invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in con- I nection with the accompanying drawing, and

its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is anelevation of the main switch and thedisconnecting switch together with the operating mechanism there; foraccording to my invention, the switches being shown in open circuitposition; Fig. 2 is a similar view .with the switches in closed circuitposition; and Fig. '3 is a de-- tail of' the disconnecting switch.

The main switch '1 is illustrated, for example as a common form of oilbreak switch, the tank of which is indicated only .by dotted lines. Thecover 2 carries the insulator bushings 3 which support the stationarycontacts 4 at their lower ends. The yoke 5 which carries the movablecontacts is mounted on thelowerend of the operating rod -6 which slidesthrough the cover 2 and to which is pivoted the operating lever 7. Thislever is connected' by' links 8 to "bell crank 9 whoseactuation'i-s'efiected by means which will be described later.

The conductors which pass up through the cover 2 within the insulatorbushings 3 terminate in. blocks 12 to which are firmly securedextensions 13 in the form of straight rods or bars of copper or othergood conducting material forming fixed contact members. Above the oilswitch extends a support 14 for the two stationary'contacts 15 of thedisconnecting switch. Each of these contacts, as shown more clearly inFig. 3, has a tapering or wedge-shaped lower :portion, the upper portionbeing secured to the support 14 by a bolt 16. For convenience inattaching leads thereto the contacts are shown provided with terminals17. The movable portion of the disconnecting switch comprises acrosshead 18 made up of two strips 19 and 20 preferably of'insulatingmaterial which are rigidl-y securedto gether and to which is pivoted thebifurcated operating lever 21. Each strip 19 and 20 .carries'on itsinner face a plate 22 having ears 23 and on these cars are pivotallymounted the contact members 24, suitable stops 25 being provided tolimit the pivotal-movement of these members for the purpose hereinafterexplained. The contact members themselves each comprise a plate 26having a contact ti 27 at each end thereof. Agood electrica i connectionbetween the tips of each plate is provided by a flexible currentcarrying conductor or pigtail 28, and a sprin 29 at the opposite side ofeach plate provi' es the nee essary resilience. When the switch is inits closed position as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 the upper ends of twoopposed cont-act members are spread apart by their engagement downwardlyout of engagement with the contacts 15. The contact members are now freetorock on their pivots by gravity until checked by'the stops 25,sufficient movements being thereby permitted to "avoid frictionalcontactbetween the extensions 13 and the lower "tips 27'. Guide members 30secured to the'strips lSand 20 at each end of'the crosshead 18 slideagainst the' extensions 13. 1

The lever 21 is pivoted to the frame 31 by pin 32 and connected alsobetween this lever and the frame are the spring 33 and the dashpot 34.Both the oil switch and the a link pivoted at its upper end to lever 21and having a slot 38 for the'pin 39 atits lower end. Link 37 is pivotedto the frame at 40 and is provided with one arm 41 carrying a roller 42at its extremity and with another arm 43 to which are operatlvelyconnected toggles'44 and 45. Toggle45 is retained slightly overset whenthe switches are closed and is adapted to be struck a sharp blow by theplunger 46 of a solenoid when the switch is to be tripped. A switchoperating solenoid raises the plunger 48 and in-engaging the roller 42shifts the toggle links 36 and 37. The tripping mechanism comprising thetoggles 44 and 45 and the operating solenoid is that in common use andfurther explanation thereof will therefore not be given.

Connected, with the pivot pin 39 between links 36 and 37 is theadjustable link 50 having a slot 51 through which passes the pin 52carried by the bell crank 9. A link 53 having a slot to receive the pin52 is attached to one end of a tension spring 54 whose opposite end ispivotally connected to the frame. This spring is tensioned when theswitches are closed and is provided for the purpose of giving the oilswitch a quick initial opening movement.

It will be noted that in accordance with this construction the main oroil switch is operatively connected with the common connection 39between the toggle links 36 and 37 and the disconnecting switch isoperatively connected with the opposite end of toggle link 36. It willalso be seen that as a result of this toggle arrangement and the pin andslot connection between the toggle links, the oil switch when trippedopens with a rapid movement while the disconnecting switch under theretarding influence of the dashpot 34 moves toopen position relativelyslowly, thereby insuring the complete opening of the circuit by the oilswitch before the contacts' of the disconnecting switch separate. In theclosing of the switch as the dashpot is not effective andby reason ofthe buckled relation of the toggle links 36 and 37 the initial upwardmovement of the link 36 is comparatively rapid. The disconnecting switchthus moves to closed circuit position first and subsequently uponfurther movement of the ggle links the circuitis finally and completelyclosed by the oil switch.

Occasion sometimes arises, as for instance, when the oil switch isto beinspected or re pairedgwhen it is desirable to be able to lock thedisconneoting' s v v itchin open circuit -position without afi'ectingthe normal operation of the oil switch. I have provided means for solooking the disconnecting switch in open circuit position whichcomprises a separate opening 56 for the reception of pin 32 by which thelever 21 is fulcrumed. By removing pin 32, raising lever 21, andinserting the pin in the opening 56 and through the lever, the fulcrumpoint of the lever is raised to such an extent that the switch closingoperation of the toggle links will not causethe disconnecting switch toclose. Furthermore a stop pin 57 will engage lever 21 and prevent itbeing raised by hand to close the switch controlled thereby when thefulcrum pin has been transferred to the upper opening. Suitable keycontrolled locking means, as for example a padlock, may of course beprovided for preventing the unauthorized removal of the pivot pin 32from either opening. I have also provided means for locking thedisconneoting switch in closed circuit position. 1

This comprises a projection 58 on lever 21 and a member 59 looselypivoted on the frame at 60. Member 59 has a portion adapted to engagethe projection 58 and has two openings therein, either one of which myreceive the pin 61 whereby it may be held either in the positionillustrated where it does not interfere with the free movement of lever21 or in its other position, not illustrated, whereby engagement withthe projection 58, lever 21 will be held against dewnward movement. Pin61. may also be secured in either position by suitable key controlledlocking means, such'as a padlock, to prevent unauthorized removalthereof.

While I have described only one embodiment of my invention,I do not wishto be limited to the particular form shown and described as it will beapparent that many modifications therein may be made without departingfrom the scope of. my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure byv Letters Patent of the'UnitedStates 1s:

1. A circuit controlling mechanism comprising a main switch, adisconnecting switch, and common actuating means for said switches, saidmeans comprising togg e links, means connecting said main switch withthe common connection between said links, means for-operativelyconnecting the 7 outer end of the other of said links with saiddisconnecting switch, means for operativ ely connecting the commonconnection between said links with said main switch and means for movingsaid pivotally mounted link. i

' 3., A circuit controlling mechanism comprising a main switch, adisconnecting switch, a lever for moving said disconnecting switch, apair of toggle links having the outer end of one link pivoted to saidlever and havinga pin and'slot connection at their adjacent ends, meansoperatively connecting said main switch to said links at said pin andslot connection, and means whereby the fulcrum of said lever may beshifted to render said lever non-responsive to the operation of saidtoggle links,

4. In combination, a main switch, fixed contact members secured to theterminals thereof, fixed contacts spaced tromsaid contact members, andamovab e member having contacts adapted to slide on the fixed contactmembers and to engage the spaced fixed contacts.

5. In combination, a main switch of the fluid breaktype, havingterminals projecting therefrom, conducting extensions secured to saidterminals, and a disconnecting switch comprising fixed contacts, acrosshead having resilient members slidably engagingsaid extensions andhaving contacts adapted to engage said fixed contacts.

6. Incombmation, an oil switch having terminals extending from the coverthereof, a conducting rod secured to each of said terminals, and adisconnecting switch comprising stationary contacts, a crosshead, an

operating .lever pivoted thereto, arms carried at opposite ends of saidcrosshead for slidably engaging said rods, and contacts carried by saidcrosshead for engaging said stationary contacts and said rods.

I 7. In a switch, a tapering fixed contact, a conducting rod spacedtherefrom, a movable contact member pivotally mounted at a pointintermediate its'ends and means for moving said contact, memberlongitudinaliy of saidrod whereby ,the engagement of one end of saidmember with saidtapering fixed contact rocks said member to cause theopposite end thereof to engage said rod. 7

8. In a switch, a tapering fixed contact, a fixed conducting rod spacedfrom and in alinement with said contact, a contact supporting member, 'aplurality of movable contact members pivoted to said supporting memberand arranged on opposite sides of said tapering contact and said rodwhereby when said supporting member is moved in a direction to cause oneend of'each of said movable contact members to engage said taperingcontact, the opposite ends of said contact members are caused to engagesaid rod and when said supporting member is moved in the oppositedirection said contact members release their engagement with both thetapering contact and the rod.

9. A circuit controlling device comprising a main switch havingterminals provided with extensions, a disconnecting switch comprising acrosshead having contact members adapted to make sliding contact withsaid extensions, fixed contacts also engaged by said contact members, anoperating lever pivotally connected to said crosshead, com mon operatingmeans for said main switch and said disconnecting switch comprisingtoggle links, said main switch being operatively connected to the commonconnection between said toggle links and the operating lever of saiddisconnecting switch being connected to the opposite end of one of saidlinks, and switch-actuating means for mov ing the other of said links. Y10. A circuit controlling device comprising a main switch. adisconnecting switch associated therewith and comprising a slidablymounted crosshea'd, an actuating lever pivoted thereto. a togglemechanism for actuating both of said switches comprising a. pair oflinks having a pin and slot connection therebetween, means operativelyconnecting said main switch and the connection between said togglelinks, said actuating lever being connected to the opposite end of oneof said links, and an adjustably mounted member adapted to be secured ina position to engage said lever to prevent opening of said disconnectingswitch, said pin and slot connection between the toggle links serving topermit independent operation of said main switch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June,1924;

CHARLES F. SCHWENNKER.

